Protective container



July 7, 1942. c. STOCKSTROM 2,289,223

PROTECTIVE CONTAINER Filed May 4, 1959 INVENTOR CARL SToc lxSTR o M ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES T OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to containers formed of paper or other flexible material and more specifically to a bag-like protective container adapted to receive the foldable portion of an umbrella, when same is in a folded condition, in such manner that the handle portion and the ferrule of the umbrella extend from opposite ends of the protective container, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a protective container of the class described which is adapted to enclose the foldable portion of an umbrella when same is wet so as to protect from the wet umbrella the clothing of the person carrying the umbrella, and other persons who are encountered by the person carrying the wet umbrella in crowded places.

At theatres and many other places where large crowds of people congregate wet umbrellas in the hands of persons in the crowds on rainy days create quite a problem, such problem resulting from the fact that in large crowds wet umbrellas are frequently unintentionally brought into contact with the clothing of persons in the crowds with the result that the pressed appearance of clothing is destroyed and in some cases the clothing is soiled. 7

The principal object of this invention is to eliminate the difficulties mentioned above and this object is accomplished by providing a baglike structure of sufficient length to receive the entire foldable portion of the umbrella when same is in a folded condition. The bag-like structure is preferably open at one end, from which open end the handle of the umbrella extends, while the opposite end of the bag-like structure is partially closed, being provided with a relatively small opening through which the ferrule of the umbrella is extended. The material from which the bag-like structure is made ischaracterized by being water-proof, and when the improved protective container is in use the foldable portion of the umbrella with which a protective container is associated is completely enclosed so that it cannot come into contact either with the clothing of the person carrying the umbrella or other persons.

Fig. l is a perspective showing one of the improved protective containers associated with an umbrella.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the improved protective container shown apart from an umbrella.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the improved protective containers with a part thereof shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of the lower portion of the protective container illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved protective container generally. The improved protective container is in the general form of an elongated tube open at the end A thereof and partially closed at its opposite end A so that an opening I is provided in said partially closed end of the container which is of less length than the closed end of said container. The container is made from paper or other suitable material which is inherently water-proof or is treated to render it water-proof.

The partially closed end A of the container A may be produced by providing one wall of the flat tube which produces the container with a pair of tabs 2 which are spaced apart transversely of the container to provide a space 3 therebetween. These tabs are folded over the bottom edge of the opposite wall of the flat tube and against the outer face of said opposite wall of said tube where they are secured by a suitable adhesive (see Fig. 4). By so forming the partially closed end A of the container A, said end is closed throughout opposite end portions thereof, while the portion of the end of the container between the tabs is open to provide the opening I. If desired the improved container may be provided with an extension in the form of a tab 4 which is located at the open end of the container. This tab 4 serves the useful purpose of providing a portion which may be readily and conveniently grasped when the open end of the container is being opened to introduce an umbrella therein. The tab 4 may be conveniently formed on a blank which produces a container, When a plurality of such blanks are formed from a strip of material, by utilizing the material which is cut from an adjacent blank in forming the spaced tabs 2 thereof to produce the tab 4 of the first-mentioned blank.

In the use of the improved protective container the open end thereof is opened and the closed umbrella is introduced, ferrule first, into the container, the ferrule of the umbrella being extended through and beyond the opening I in the partially closed end of the container. This will bring the entire foldable portion of the umbrella within the protective container with the handle portion thereof extended beyond the open end of the container so that the umbrella may be carried in the normal manner, When the foldable ortion of a wet umbrella is enclosed within one of the improved protective containers as described, said wet portion of the umbrella may not be accidentally brought into contact with the clothing of the person carrying the umbrella or other persons.

I claim:

A container formed from a sheet of material folded and having portions thereof secured together to provide a container open at one end and partially closed at its opposite end to provide an opening at said partially closed end through which a part of an article embraced by the container may extend, said partially closed end of said container throughout its length being extended in a straight line at a right angle relative to the length of the container and said end being partially closed by spaced apart tabs formed on one side wall of the container and extended beneath and folded upwardly with respect to the opposite side wall of the container and secured thereto so as to leave the portion of said partially closed end which is located between said tabs in an open condition, and an extension formed on a side wall of the container at the open end thereof, said extension being of substantially less width than the open end of the container and being formed on one container-forming blank by material out from an adjacent container-forming blank to provide the last-mentioned container-forming blank with said spaced tabs, and said extension being of substantially the same size and shape as the space between the spaced tabs of the container.

CARL STOCKS'IROM. 

